Life In Your Own Hands
by OTRamble
Summary: Naruto and Sakura were to late. Orochimaru got Sasuke irreversibly, once and for all, to be his human container. But could there have been someone else involved so that 2 years ago Orochimaru's dream didn't succeed? Narutos,Sakuras and Sasukes lifes.
1. Sasuke's Comeback

**_ This is set after the 2 1/2 timeskip in Naruto but I don't think it is necessary to have to read up to there, if so in later chapters I will warn you _**

---

A final powerful punch sent the other shinobi flying. Sakura smiled at her work, and turned towards Kakashi's direction to show it. It had been a surprise attack on the way home to Konoha after a relatively easy mission, and although the attack hadn't been hard to take care of, she was exhausted.

Kakashi was silent during their journey back home, something that Sakura appreciated as she needed time to sort out her thoughts before returning.

She knew what was waiting for her – a 'surprise' birthday party which she had naturally overheard Naruto discuss 'quietly'. She was turning 17 – an age she had looked forward to for a whole year – but now the thought strangely made her feel empty.

Something was missing, and Kakashi only had to glance at Sakura out of the corner of his eye to know what she was thinking about. As always, Kakashi never commented about it. He had learnt better.

---

Sakura had practised a lot to make a realistic shocked reaction when she opened the door to her parent's house. She had thought that it had been futile, but obviously people were too much in the partying mood to even notice her arrival.

The loud music and the packed bodies in her parent's house was partly why she escaped to the balcony. Alone, she gazed at the stars and thought about all the other people in the world watching them twinkle.

"Hey," a voice said gently. Sakura spun around to see it came from Naruto. Silently she motioned him to join her. Naruto took a deep sigh as he gazed at the dark expanse above the duo.

"You feel empty, don't you?" Naruto asked suddenly but softly. "I know how you feel."

"Course you do. We're in this together," Sakura replied but realised her voice was getting raspy and tears were starting to form. Naruto looked at her sympathetically. "I know, I know. I shouldn't cry on my birthday. It's just… I really thought we could do it… I really, truly believed we could bring Sasuke back.

"And now…-," Sakura paused to sniffle. "Now – now he's gone. He might as well be dead!"

Naruto took her into a tight embrace as Sakura started to sob uncontrollably.

"Damn that Orochimaru! And the worst part is, we warned him, and he didn't listen. He didn't get anything out of it…Out of leaving. He's just a container now. A human box…"

Sakura heard how Naruto was shushing her soothingly, but his voice was breaking, and he himself was sniffing now and again.

"We should get over it," Sakura tried to sound mature and brave. "It happened two years ago." She broke from Naruto's arms and started to instantly make herself more presentable.

Naruto leaned onto the balcony railing. "We should at least complete his annoying life's goal…You know the brother revenge thing…"

Sakura smiled at Naruto's way with words. "Yeah, I suppose so." Naruto looked at her so solemnly; she was forced to give him a long hug.

"Oi, Lovebirds! Get your asses in here! It's a party for Gods sake!" Ino slurred loudly as she motioned her drink towards Sakura and Naruto out on the balcony. Sakura scanned surprised at the crowd watching them from inside, and saw a pair of pearly white eyes get heartbroken.

Sakura patted Naruto on the back and whispered, "Go ask Hinata to dance; she's looking a bit lonely." Naruto's face grew from his sad and sentimental expression into the fun and loving trademark grin as he sprinted inside. Sakura turned away from the party and smiled as she heard Naruto practically shout, "Hinata we're dancing!"

Sakura decided that along with the rest of team 7, she **would** make sure Sasuke got his 'dream' come true. Whatever he was existing as now, she **would** make him proud by killing Uchiha Itachi for him.

As she went in to join her 17th birthday party again, little did she know that in a few months time she would get the surprise of her life.

---

Sasuke was breathing hard. Who would have known a mere plant could cause so much trouble! He looked suspiciously at the gigantic Venus fly trap that seemed dead enough to him, and decided - it was.

He took a step forward but immediately doubled over and was unable to stop himself to scream of pain. He tried to relax his aching muscles by taking deep breaths. How pathetic was he? A mere plant had caused him so much agony. He looked at his abdominals and saw his shirt with a red patch which made him wince.

Sasuke carefully rolled onto his back and stared at the high ceiling of the forest he was in. How did he end up here? Alone and lost. _Now handicapped too. Great!_ He sighed angrily and started to contemplate his situation.

---

Back at Orochimaru's numerous hideouts, Sasuke had of course been the favourite of the many servants of Orochimaru. A few had tried to befriend him but most had given up when all they received was a murderous glance and if they were lucky, get slammed hard to the floor.

There had been one especially annoying girl. However many times he threatened and a few times acted, he would still find her sitting opposite him during meals and/or trying her best to spark up a conversation.

Sasuke figured that the most annoying part was that she reminded him so much of Sakura. The girl, Kotone, seemed also convinced that she was in love with Sasuke. He had almost lashed out on her because of it, but her twin, Daisuke, had stopped him.

Sasuke had gotten the impression that Daisuke was the opposite of Kotone. For one thing he said what he thought with not a worry in the world, and he acted on his instincts. While Kotone hardly spoke, and anyone could see that her brain worked overtime all the time.

When Orochimaru seemed to get busier and busier, decreasing his availability for training, Sasuke had decided that he could now take Kotone's obsession with him to his advantage.

"Come with me," he had murmured icily to her as he passed her in a corridor. Of course she followed suite. Sasuke led her to an empty training arena in the immense hideout of Orochimaru, and didn't even have to utter a word to make Kotone shift into a defensive stance.

They made an anonymous agreement of training every week together in the same arena, 2 o'clock on the dot. Kotone's abilities were advanced, especially her genjustus, but the special training Sasuke had from Orochimaru made him able to surpass her by ten folds. He did note, however, that without it, his chances of winning over Kotone would have been practically zero. No wonder Orochimaru had recruited her.

Days became weeks, weeks became months. Sasuke got a few missions to do as a Sound-nin, but was never allowed to leave Oto without a great number of shinobi, if not Orochimaru himself.

That fact, along with the general hostile atmosphere of the Hidden Village of the Sound, had prevented Sasuke from thinking of it as his home. It was more the feeling of a boarding school, though he knew any winter or summer break would never come.

"Sasuke-kun, you did well today," Orochimaru's serpent-like voice hissed with strange content. "Make sure you get some well deserved rest. That is all."

Sasuke grunted in reply and limped towards the exit of the large chamber he was in. He and Kotone had trained together as usual that day, but apparently she had done extra training or something, as she had proved herself a challenge. Sasuke had been holding a grudge against the fact that Kotone had beaten him for the first time, when he was summoned for an unexpected training session with Orochimaru.

It had probably been him trying to prove himself a point that had spurred a greater urge to do well during that specific, scarce session. Subconsciously, Sasuke had put his all into every attack that afternoon, which made a result – he started to hit Orochimaru.

It was obvious that Orochimaru was shocked and pleased by this. Though when he wounded Sasuke's leg, Sasuke figured he wasn't the only one proving a point.

As Sasuke limped off, he felt Kabuto's presence start to tend to Orochimaru behind him. _The guy has only a scratch…,_ Sasuke thought. The further Sasuke trudged on, the conversation behind him turned into quiet murmurs.

After exiting, Sasuke didn't completely leave. Instead he activated his sharingan again and started to interpret what the two beyond the tiny gap he had left open, were saying.

"…he has grown strong. Very strong…," Orochimaru mused.

"Yes indeed. Was he even a match for you?" Kabuto replied.

"Hn," Orochimaru seemed deep in thought as Kabuto traced his wounds with the glow of medical charka. "When is the time up?"

Kabuto smiled, "In three months time. Soon, your long wait is over. Soon, Sasuke is yours." Orochimaru formed a smile and his greedy eyes twinkled with glee.

When Sasuke realised that the main conversation was over, he left furtively to his quarters with an unreadable expression on his face. He was just about to enter them when he was stopped by two familiar presences.

As he whirled around, Daisuke exclaimed cheerfully, "Sasuke! How's it going?" he received an icy stab by Sasuke's pitch black eyes, though Daisuke didn't seem to notice.

"What's wrong Sasuke-kun?" Kotone asked with her smooth voice as she ran a hand through her milk chocolate brown hair.

Daisuke blinked. He looked to and from Sasuke and his twin until he chuckled, "Kotone, you know Sasuke too well…! I can't see any difference in expression than the usual sad-puppy look he always has plastered on his face!" Sasuke glared harder at them but Kotone took no notice and repeated her question.

"None of your business," Sasuke spat, though his voice wasn't as harsh as he had hoped.

"Now, Sasuke. Don't be so mean to my sister…," It was now Daisuke's turn to send one of his rare threatening looks, clashing terribly with his still cheery tone.

Sasuke pretended not to care, but didn't return a comeback – he had enough fights for today. However, it led to Daisuke self-inviting himself and Kotone into Sasuke's quarters.

Silently, Kotone started to tend to Sasuke's wounds, while Daisuke wandered around observing and commenting everything.

"Sasuke-kun, tell me what's wrong," Kotone whispered firmly while bandaging Sasuke's leg. He gave her a murderous look, but to his surprise she shot one back at him.

"I'm not even near a trace of my brother," Sasuke revealed reluctantly. Kotone gave Daisuke a look before his blabber-mouth instinct would kick in. "And I over-heard Orochimaru today."

"You mean, about…-," Kotone started. Sasuke nodded.

Dead silence.

"And…," Daisuke encouraged, his full attention now on Sasuke.

"Three months," Sasuke replied curtly. Kotone let out a gasp. Daisuke's expression went serious.

After a long pause of only hearing the shuffling of Sasuke's neighbours, Kotone struggled not to whimper but failed miserably.

Her normal stiff composure broke down completely as she silently started to sob, "I won't let him. I won't – I won't…" Daisuke went to her aid by starting to sympathetically massage her shoulders, deep in thought. "I'll – I'll… kill him if I have to…!"

Sasuke laughed arrogantly at her insane proposal. Kotone stared at him with a look of pain and disbelief through her tears.

"Sasuke, how was your training today?" Dasiuke asked suddenly, after being suspiciously silent for quite some time now.

"Dai! How can you just-," Kotone sniffed. "…at a time like this…!"

"Well?" Daisuke ignored his sister. "Sasuke?"

Sasuke understood, but shook his head. "I've started hitting him, but that was just today," Sasuke replied. Letting Kotone out of her bewilderment, he added, "I don't think I can kill him."

"Yet," Daisuke added, nearly questioning.

---

Sasuke trudged on. How long had it been? Two, three days since the plant incident? Soon another more? He was surviving, but would feel a whole lot better if he had any idea where he was. Well he knew he was in one of the Grass country's forests, but where was he heading? He supposed it didn't really matter, at the pace he was at, it wouldn't make a difference if he was walking or sitting – he still got nowhere.

Sasuke sighed and leaned on a near-by tree. He ripped off some leaves of a bush within his reach and inspected its berries before devouring them. He then peeled away carefully his red-stained shirt from his abdominals, and examined his wound from the Venus fly trap. It had been deep: the reason why it didn't heal so fast, but it was better. Sasuke's only worry was if it was or would become infected. He grabbed a branch of the bush near him and produced the fastest 'bandage' ever, of its leaves. Once again, he devoured its berries.

After what seemed a too short rest to him, Sasuke's fine senses noticed smoke. He looked around but saw nothing. _Oh well, I have to 'stretch' my chakra anyway,_ Sasuke deliberated as he prepared himself to walk up the tree.

Once up there, he thought his surroundings rang a bell from a mission he had once done. His thought's was interrupted by a shout – quickly followed by someone 'shh!'-ing.

He scanned the area once again, now noticing a faint sliver of smoke rising from behind some shrubs in the distance. _It's better being the predator than the prey,_ Sasuke mused before bracing himself for approaching the site through the trees.

An inviting glow became a fire as he approached, as did shadows become figures and murmurs into voices.

"…I burnt myself!"

"I told you not to add more firewood. You might as well stick your hands into the fire – oh wait – you did!"

"Hey, I'm hungry, and the hotter it is the faster you get food! Now can you take a look at my hand, please?"

"Bah! Only a scratch! Plus you gotta learn your lesson."

"Meh! You're so mean…!"

"Naruto-kun, let me take a look at it…," a new, more feeble voice interjected.

Sasuke stiffened. _Naruto? Naruto is here?_ Sasuke risked his cover to get a better view of the scene. There, a few meters away was the same blonde Naruto as Sasuke's former team mate, now being tended to by a recognizable Hyuuga Hinata.

Naruto was glaring across the fire at a busied Sakura. Next to her was a crouching Rock Lee redoing his bandages.

"Crap," Sasuke whispered as he looked away. Those rookies were still alive? Well he now knew where about he had been heading – South, towards the Fire country, if he wasn't in it already…

He had to get away immediately before he was noticed. Apparently when you focus your mind on being one thing, it does the opposite. At least that happened when Sasuke tried to leave stealthily.

"What was that?" Sakura asked.

"Hinata," Lee beckoned, now on his feet.

_Shit,_ Sasuke thought. He had been noticed. _Better make a dash for it._ However, just before leaving he heard Hinata activate her byakugan.

Within minutes, the chase head turned dramatic. Sasuke was fighting hard to keep going even though his body was in pain. It was four against one – hardly fair, but then, life never seemed to be.

Sasuke just noticed the kunai whooshing past, aimed poorly he cursed at himself for not activating his sharingan as he hurriedly threw himself to the left to dodge the exploding tag that had been attached to the kunai.

The sudden lurch to the side put him off balance, causing him to fall off the branch he had landed on.

"Damn it," Sasuke winced as the four Leaf shinobi caught up with him. A stinging pain shot through him. _So much for keeping the wound clean._

Sasuke looked up to find four figures staring down at him in total shock. His heart raced harder as he noticed all four in jounin uniform. _What a great time to loose ones posture._

Sasuke forced himself up into a standing position, trying his best to look as powerful as he was, even though being the only one handicapped – oh, he **and** Naruto of course.

There was a silence, the dying fire of the exploding tag echoing through the trees.

All four seemed to have matured since Sasuke last saw them; Naruto looked almost the same – his eyes were more defined though and his face had lost its 'puppy fat'. Next to him stood Sakura – same bubblegum coloured hair, still cut short. Her figure was more womanly however, though flatter compared to Hinata.

Hinata had grown her hair, and was now collected into a long ponytail. The jounin vest hugged her hips. Lee seemed the same. He had grown the most in height however – he was the only one of the four who could look Sasuke straight in the eye.

Sasuke broke his serious expression into loud laughter when Sakura formed a genjutsu release seal. His laughter echoed along with the flames, but died down as fast as they had come. It broke the silence however.

With a discreet nod from Lee, the foursome had encircled Sasuke. They held a defensive stance.

"Is it Orochimaru?" Naruto asked openly. When on one answered, he directed it towards the smug-faced Sasuke. "Well?"

"If I'm Orochimaru? Who knows," Sasuke gave a grim grin. Heck, he was enjoying this! "You know you forgot to see if I'm using a henge. Not very jounin –"

He was cut off by Hinata kicking him in the back, obviously surprising him.

"Henge test confirmed," Sakura reported. "Negative." Sasuke rose again.

"I thought you were dead," Sakura suddenly said, her voice wavering. "Well not dead but-"

"Change of plans," Sasuke interrupted curtly.

"Don't mess with us," Naruto growled.

"Don't ask for it then," Sasuke hissed back. Naruto gave him a murderous look, which Sasuke return happily. He looked around and saw that the others seemed to be planning something…

While activating his sharingan, Sasuke said smugly, "If that is all, I'll be going now."

As he thought, Naruto sent a punch at him, which Sasuke dodged easily. Lee kicked out, aiming at his head – Sasuke ducked in time. Sasuke landed a kick at Hinata and defended himself from Sakura's attack.

The next taijutsu movements proved no challenge against Sasuke's sharingan, though he struggled against Lee's. As thy got ready for another attack, Sasuke drew out his katana and sent out Chidori Nagashi, electrocuting all four.

Sasuke dashed out of the circle before any of the rest got the chance of getting up. However, he joined the rest on the ground as his wound started spitting out blood. He felt dizzy, and soon oblivion took over.

---

Chidori Nagashi One Thousand Birds Current, or if you'd rather Sasuke's developed Chidori which basically runs a current through his body. Nice... D

_Please review and I hope you enjoyed the first chapter. I will post the second chapter as soon as it's ready!_

_Until next time!_

_//OTRamble_


	2. The Returning Climax

Chapter 2: The Returning Climax

He woke up sore, tied to a tree, with a perfect view of the Leaf Shinobis arguing. Naruto and Sakura were having a heated discussion about them finding Sasuke and pathetic attempts on figuring out how come he wasn't Orochimaru's 'other half'. They blamed themselves for not finding out faster and other nonsense. Lee, who seemed to be the expedition leader, was trying to figure out what to do with the situation. They could **not** return while Sakura and Naruto were going on like this; he was sure she would send one of her famous punches flying any second… Of course Sasuke was the main cause of all problems. According to Sasuke's observations, Hinata was the only one with any sense by trying to calm everyone down. Her attempts were always failures as she only received bloodcurdling insults and "Mind your own business!" responses, if noticed at all.

After a while she gave up and walked off in a huff, clearly extremely disappointed in her team mates. Sasuke was getting terribly uncomfortable with his arms wrapped around the tree, and back pressed hard against its bark.

"Hyuuga," Sasuke hissed after a long mental debate if he should stay silent or not. Hinata whipped around, her pearly-white eyes doubling in size. "To keep me alive, you might want to stop strangling me with these ropes." A deep blush disappeared as quickly as it came after Sasuke's words. She approached him cautiously, knelt beside him and activated her byukagan. With a gentle tap on his shoulders, Sasuke's chakra highway was cut off.

"Damn you…," Sasuke murmured as Hinata freed him from the tree, but made a tight leash around his hands. Surprisingly, his remark made her smile.

"I'm sorry Sasuke," Hinata's high pitched voice said quietly. "Sometimes confronting problems, head on, resolves them." She made him stand, and Sasuke was just about to ask what the hell she meant, when she threw him into the middle of the arguing group. Immediately they shut up.

_What the hell happened to the Hyuuga heir that made her so violent?!_ Sasuke thought has he shot Hinata a murderous look.

"You guys. We're all tired, we're all confused. Hungry," Hinata looked at Naruto. "Let's go home."

"But –" Naruto interjected eying out Sasuke.

"I've blocked his chakra highway already. We either both knock him out cold and drag him home or we make him come **quietly**," She was now addressing Sasuke.

Sasuke was ready to reply a harsh comeback when Lee sent him into oblivion, with a simple swing of his hand.

---

There was a lot of commotion when Lee entered Tsunade's office, Sasuke hanging over his shoulder like a sack of flour. Naruto, Sakura and Hinata right behind him.

Tsunade was in a meeting when they stormed in. However, she quickly dismissed the present ninjas and threatened that if they would even utter a word about the person Lee had just lowered off his back, she would personally hunt them down. They quickly dispersed without further ado.

Kakashi was quickly summoned and there was a grand moment of simply staring at the unconscious Uchiha. Everyone seemed to have their comments and points of views, but no one knew when it was legal to utter a word and how to express their ponders, so kept their thoughts locked up inside their cluttered minds.

"How is this possible?" asked Tsunade finally with a clear tone of surprise. "Orochimaru is reported alive and well, with resemblance of Sasuke, and still, here he is."

"He could be an imposter," suggested Kakashi, his normal wisdom stunned to silence.

Naruto shook his head. "He's Sasuke alright." Sakura nodded slowly in his defence.

"Godaime-sama, what should we do with him?" asked Lee.

"Well," Tsunade paused to ponder. "I will inspect him for any traces of information that might tell us what happened to him, while he is unconscious. Then Kakashi will guard him at his place until next morning. Then I want Team 7 and Kakashi in here tomorrow morning 10 o'clock sharp. And then I mean Sasuke as well.

"For now you all keep quiet and go home. But Lee, I expect a report on your mission handed in to Shizune before the end of the day."

They all nodded feebly, and left the office alone with Kakashi and Tsunade, Sasuke lying motionless on the couch.

"Should I try talking to him later on?" Kakashi questioned.

"If you believe it worth the trouble," Tsunade said gravely, her eyes still staring at Sasuke.

---

No one can truly understand how it feels to grieve for someone's death and then to find that person alive and well – no one except than those who experienced it. Only few people in the world say they have, either through deceit or hallucinations. In Konoha there was two blatantly affected by this experience.

Naruto had taken the news of Sasuke's 'death' bad. He hadn't been himself, and his nearest and dearest would even have considered him depressed, though this would never be admitted aloud. With help from those who understood this, he came over that hard time within six to twelve months. Having a gloomy and depressed Naruto compared to the energetic a bubbly blonde they had always known, made them all feel that it became the longest year of their lives.

When Sasuke returned, they prepared for the worst, therefore keeping an eye on Naruto at all times. However, Naruto stayed calm on his visits to Kakashi's apartment – Sasuke's current location. Kakashi's flat stayed intact.

No, on the contrary – Naruto pratically skipped down the streets. He treated his friends to ramen at Ichiraku, and hardly ever complained. (Those oblivious to the Sasuke situation constantly speculated on what on Earth had happened to the blonde.) This died down after he had been granted access to see Sasuke after two days of his return. Of course, Sasuke and Naruto glared, teased and threatened each other as usual, but Naruto left Kakashi's home happy. Sasuke, however, felt like he was hospitalised in an asylum.

---

When he wasn't visiting Sasuke, Naruto was on Sakura's back about Sasuke. Sakura, had problems simply over coming the shock. Her brain had interpreted the return, but her heart still had Sasuke's tombstone tattooed across it. She needed time to sort out her thoughts, but Naruto never let her. She ended up using Naruto's weakness for genjutsus to her advantage to get a moment of peace.

It took finally Sakura a week until she considered herself brave enough to confront Sasuke. She had no idea why it had been so hard. Her academy days had proved that any fact could easily be mapped into her memory, so why couldn't this one?

Sakura didn't know how to prepare herself. She took one and a half hour to choose and get into a 'perfect' outfit, and on her way to Kakashi's apartment Ino had to shout to make Sakura enter the flower shop after standing outside the Yamanaka family business, motionless but deep in thought, for at least fifteen minutes.

"Sakura, what's up? You seem hazed," Ino grinned as Sakura followed into the store.

"Oh, I… I guess I've got a lot on my mind," Sakura faked a smile and reminded herself that Ino had no idea about Sasuke.

"Well, can I help you with anything?" offered Ino. "Either as a fellow kunoichi or a flower arranger. Or simply a friend."

Sakura smiled and scanned the shop warily. "A flower arranger would do."

"I thought it was a man's job to give flowers," Ino said cheekily as she handed a potted Sweet Pea plant to Sakura over the counter, after practically going through the whole store with her.

Sakura rolled her eyes. _Typical Ino, trying to fish out the fresh scoop on everything._ "Can't you treat yourself once in a while?" said Sakura cheekily as she left the store.

She heard Ino holler after her: "I'll check for the plant next time I'm over at your place!"

---

Sakura knocked on the door after much hesitation. Kakashi swung it open, the trace of shadows from a cheerful smile was clearly shown by his trademark mask.

"Sakura! I'm glad you could join us!" Kakashi welcomed her. Sakura stepped inside the shabby apartment cautiously. Sasuke looked up from his sitting position on the sofa, his glossy black hair swaying with the motion. He was wearing one of Kakashi's shirts and as Sakura had remembered him, no forehead protector. Naruto and Hinata who had been sitting opposite Sasuke spun around to see who the new visitor was.

"Oh, I didn't know you two were here-" Sakura started.

"Sakura! I was wondering when you'd come to your senses!" Naruto exclaimed cheerfully, oblivious to the fact that Sasuke was sitting a metre away. Sakura gaped; she could strangle that blonde right now.

"Um, Naruto. I just remembered we had that **thing** we had to be at… We have to go **now** so we're not **late**," Hinata nudged Naruto.

"Thing? Hinata, what are you talking about - ?"

"That **thing**. Come, we have to go," Hinata pulled at Naruto's orange sleeve. Naruto stuttered after Hinata, clearly very confused.

The door slammed, and Kakashi grinned harder, Sakura tried a foolish smile herself. Sasuke looked away.

She then remembered the Sweet Pea plant she was holding. Sakura motioned it towards Sasuke but thought better. "Here, Kakashi-senpai. I thought your place needed some sprucing up with a guest and all."

"Thank you, Sakura," Kakashi took the pot politely, though not knowing what to do with it. "I'll… put it in water!" He made an exit to the kitchen.

Sakura opened her mouth to tell him it was planted, therefore only needed to be **watered** regularly, but stayed silent when realizing he was giving her and Sasuke some space. She edged closer to the guest.

"So… how are you?"

"Fine."

_Oh God, here comes the icy exterior._ Sakura forced a smile, and told herself continuously to not give up. She sat down in the armchair opposite Sasuke.

"Um… how's your wound feeling?" she motioned to his abdominals.

Sasuke frowned "You healed it?"

Sakura nodded. "Uh, yeah… I became a medic-nin a couple of years ago." Sasuke raised an eyebrow as though by disbelief, and pushed the subject aside.

A pause of silence echoed through the room.

Sakura looked shyly at her hands. Why was the old Sakura appearing now? Why wasn't the new, smart, confident Sakura she had grown into emerging? Was it because Sasuke – her supposed past – had returned? _No. Just because he's back, doesn't mean I'm going back to my weak me._ Sakura straightened her back and ran a hand through her short, pink hair and smiled a real smile.

She looked up with a new aura of confidence. "I hope Kakashi is taking good care you. Though if you're smart you might have figured out that to get a decent meal around here you have to fix it yourself!"

"Hey! I'm right over here!" Kakashi shouted from the kitchen.

"By the way Kakashi, the plant is **planted**. You don't have to do anything except water it everyday."

"Ah…"

---

"So, I heard Sasuke is back," said Neji half-questioning.

"Yeah, yes he is," Sakura sighed with a smile. She had bumped into Neji while going home from picking up some food supply, of course his conversation starter had been like the hundred other people Sakura had seen that week: is the Uchiha **really** back?

"Oh, ok," Neji replied curtly and concentrated his vision on something else but the kunoichi.

"Neji," Sakura looked at him innocently shifting her paper bags full of food. "You mind helping me home with these bags?" Sakura motioned to her overloaded arms.

"Oh…sure."

Somehow the twisted and unexpected fate had pulled Haruno Sakura and the Hyuuga closer together. Sakura would always remember the first time she saw Neji, thinking that nobody could ever be close enough to classify their relationship as "friendship" with that boy. Destiny had apparently proved her wrong.

You could say Lee was the glue that stuck Sakura and Neji into this friendship. It was about a month after Sakura's seventeenth birthday when Lee came running towards Sakura in full sprint.

"Sakura!" Lee skidded to a halt. "You have no idea how happy I am to see you!" He was drenched in sweat as if been running in full speed for at least a mile.

"I'm glad to see you too… I guess," Sakura chuckled, a bit confused.

"Well, we got to go. **Now**!" Lee panted, starting to sprint once more, now clasping Sakura's hand.

Through the panting and running, Sakura found out that Lee and Neji had been training together - as in sparring. Their match dragged on until time had no value, also making them go further and further away from Konoha. The training turned more and more brutal, until finally, Lee used his newest technique – an unperfected jutsu, which gave Neji a remorseless, hard thrust on his chest. He crashed hard onto a tree, moulding his form into the bark, and making him fall numb onto the ground. After seeing what contrite damage he had done, Lee ran desperately for help for his team mate.

They were indeed far away from Konoha, as it took half an hour to reach Neji at the fastest speed possible on foot. When they arrived, Neji was still sprawled on the ground, half conscious.

"He was unconscious for at least a minute right after it happened," informed Lee when Sakura started to check Neji for the major trauma. "I only moved him away from the tree over there – the one he crash into – so he could lie down, and put him on the side. I didn't move him anymore, as you've said to me once or twice that you should keep still in case you've broken something, you know."

"If only you could apply it to yourself," Sakura muttered to Lee as she took a closer look at Neji's back. The sight told her this would take a while.

Unfortunately Neji had landed right on a section of the tree where some smaller branches sprouted out of, one of which had pierced a backside muscle right through, causing Neji to have lost **a lot** of blood over the time.

"Lee, what is Neji's blood type?" Sakura interrogated the worried Lee.

"Um… I think it was 'O'…," Lee tried to recall the obligatory facts he had learnt when his team had advanced to chuunin level.

"What do you have?"

"A."

"Aha… Lee you were lucky to find me on my way home from work at the hospital."

"Why's that?" asked Lee as she saw Sakura dug around her medical bag and find an injection syringe.

"As I've got blood type 'O' too," replied Sakura before wincing when inserting the needle into her skin, retrieving blood.

---

Lee was forced to go get more medics as Sakura was growing weary after a hard day of work and now another intense health case in addition. The medics took a good hour until they came, but Sakura was too absorbed into her work to notice. Along with the dirty wound from the branch and the blood loss, Neji had fractured two ribs, but broken one right in two at his back. As it had been broken so close to the spine, when Lee had moved Neji, the whole rib had moved out of place, distorting a few muscles and creating a horrid vision for the spectators. Sakura had been afraid that he had received a hard hit on his head as well, but it seemed as though he had landed mainly on his back.

The medics wrapped up Neji so he was ready for transport and left the scene of the accident within minutes. Though exhausted from training and sprinting back and forth from Konoha, Lee carried home the somnolent Sakura. "My way of gratitude" Lee had called it later on.

Neji's injuries would heal well, and wouldn't cause any trouble in the future of his ninja life. That is, if he followed Tsunade's strict orders of staying in bed until a medic gave him the all-clear. The head Hyuuga family, who had turned very friendly towards Neji in the past few years, made sure Neji was luxuriously accommodated during his bed-rest, and Hinata came in often to check on him.

Sakura volunteered to be Neji's doctor. She always became attached to her patients' cases, and had continually insisted to Tsunade of being the one sending them home. During those periods of checking Neji's torn muscles and making sure the ribs were healing in the right places, the pink haired kunoichi managed to make the famous cold-hearted genius talk. By the time Sakura gave him the all clear, they had formed a friendship worth something.

---

"Well, here's me," said Sakura as she opened the door to her apartment. "Thanks for helping me with my bags."

"No problem," Neji replied, avoiding Sakura's eyes. He suddenly looked at her as though about to say something, but then pushed those thoughts away. "I'm glad I could help. I'll see you around." He left with his usual small nod as a goodbye.

_No matter how long you know him, Neji will always be a mystery. _Sakura mused and started to get her special 'Me'-time ready. In other words soaking in a warm bath with extra much bubbles and then snuggling up in her sofa with a take-away. Life could be bliss.

_Next time, I could invite Sasuke maybe…_

---

"No."

"Oh, come on Sasuke, It'd be fun…!" Sakura pleaded. "I mean let's face it; you really did stir things up when you left. It'd be nice to stir things up again, now that your back…you know…" Sasuke looked at her unimpressed by her persuasion skills.

"No. And if you plan to surprise me, I **swear** you will **regret **it."

"Fine, fine. Be a party pooper," Sakura sighed heavily and sank into Kakashi's sofa. There was a rapid knock and immediately afterwards the front door swung open.

"S'up," Naruto grinned gleefully as he welcomed himself into the apartment and sank into the armchair opposite the one Sasuke was sitting on.

"Sasuke's being a party pooper," Sakura put on her innocent puppy-dog look as she looked from Sasuke on her right to Naruto on her left.

"He always is," Naruto said simply and reached for a grand blueberry muffin perched gracefully on a random plate on the coffee table in the middle of the three different seats in the living room.

"Why? What did he do now?"

"He refused a 'welcome back' party," Sakura shifted her position on the couch. "He could at least appreciate my offer." She glared at the Uchiha who was pretending not to notice the conversation taking place.

"Yeah well, what did you expect? He's just a cold hearted, hollow-headed, arrogant son of a –"

"I'm still here, and can **still** kick your ass," Sasuke cut off Naruto's insults. Naruto grinned sheepishly but still only gave his visual attention to the near-gone muffin he was devouring.

"Oh, Sasuke, I didn't see you there. Care to join our little convo 'bout how you are such a mind-numbingly boring, idio – OW!" Naruto rubbed his head from the hit he had just received from a flying cup. The shatter of the glass was a numb sound, compared to the curses Naruto was mumbling under his breathe. Sasuke stared aimlessly towards the other direction of Naruto as if innocent, but Sakura saw the small twitch at the corner of his mouth. She couldn't help but laugh when Naruto started choking on his muffin.

"Sakura-chan, you're on **his **side?!" Naruto looked at Sakura distraught after surviving the choke attack, only making her laugh even more. Naruto and Sasuke just stared bewildered at the kunoichi as if she was possessed. She died down after a while and tried to regain her senses.

"We have to clean that mess up before Kakashi comes back," said Sakura motioning towards the scattered cup pieces on the floor.

"Why should he care? It's just some glass," Sasuke snarled.

Sakura rolled her eyes. "You clearly don't know Kakashi. He'll use every opportunity to either tease us or make us in debt. He loves leaving the bill at Ichiraku's for us to pay." Naruto huffed as if saying "Tell me about it...!"

"Nothing a shinobi can't handle," Sasuke replied empathetically. Sakura gave up with a low sigh, but Naruto was growing restless.

Naruto shifted dangerously his position on the armchair. "Listen you duck-styled-hair modelling, piece of –"

The front door opened with a _swoosh_ and in entered the famous copy-ninja, a stern expression on his face.

"Why can I never finish my sentences around here?!" Naruto exclaimed.

"You can do that later," Kakashi waved off Naruto. "Sasuke we need to talk."

---

_Ooo! You have no idea how fun it was to write that ending scene! It was very entertaining indeed! I hope you enjoyed it too! Well, next chapter... you'll just have to wait and see what the fuss is about! XP I'm just telling you this: it's called "Treason"...DUNDUNDUN! _

_Please review!_

_//OTRamble_


End file.
